Size applicator



Dec. 23, 1969 G. A. WARREN 3,485,210

SIZE APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 10. 1967 nited States Patent 3,485,210 SIZE APPLICATOR Geotfrey A. Warren, St. Helens, England, assignor to Fibreglass Limited, St. Helens, England, a corporation of Great Britain Filed Oct. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 674,193 Int. Cl. Bc 3/12 US. Cl. 118--420 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for coating glass filaments including a container for size divided into two parts which I call inner and outer segments. The two segments are spaced from one another so that the glass filaments can pass down between the segments. The inner segment is provided with a weir over which size can flow into the space between the segments so that the glass fibres are coated with size in the space.

in the previous proposal the size applicator comprised I a spring-suspended carrier for a pad onto which the size, usually as an emulsion, was dripped. In a later form of applicator, as disclosed in British patent specification No. 810,611, it was proposed to pass the filaments over a system of rollers. Applicators such as the above are satisfactory at low speeds.

However at the higher drawing speeds now used, the size applicators previously proposed are not entirely satisfactory and it is an object of this invention to provide a size applicator which gives a good size pick-up at very high drawing speeds and a very uniform size pick-up with a low rate of size consumption.

According to this invention a size applicator comprises a container for the size having at one end thereof inner and outer segments slightly spaced from each other so that glass filaments can pass between them, the inner segment providing a weir over which a size emulsion from the container can pass and flow through the space between the segments, and means for maintaining a steady flow of size emulsion over the weir.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical section through an applicator according to the invention, and:

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the applicator when opened.

Referring to the drawings, a container for the size emulsion comprises two sections 1 and 2 hinged together as at 3, the sections, when closed, abutting each other and aligning one with the other. The section 1 has a downwardly extending portion 4 in which there is a rectangular recess 5. Fitting into the recess 5 and extending into rebates 6 in the section 1 is an inner segment 7 preferably of graphite, but any other suitable material may be used, for example a metal, which may be covered by an absorbent pad. The inner segment has oppositely disposed upper and lower inclined surfaces 8 and between the two inclined surfaces 8 is a flat surface 9 flush with the marginal surfaces of recesses formed by the inclined surfaces 8.

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The hinged section 2 also has a rectangular recess 10 into which is fitted a segment 11 which has an inclined lower surface 12 and a short inclined upper lip 17. A second inclined surface 18 on the segment 11 is continued by another inclined surface 19 which with inclined surface 20 form a duct cut through the hinged section 2 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The segment 11 may be made from similar material to that of the segment 7. Between the upper lip 17 and the lower inclined surface 12 is a flat surface 9a which may have an area corresponding to that of surface 9 of the segment 7.

When the two sections are closed together they coincide, but are slightly spaced one from the other so that a space 13, FIGURE 1, a few thousandths of an inch wide is formed through which the glass filaments pass. A handle 14 may be provided for the manipulation of the sections.

The size in the form of an emulsion is supplied to the container by an inlet pipe 15. Projecting through the bottom of the container is an outlet pipe 16 for the emulsion, the height of the pipe within the container being such that a liquid level is maintained just above the upper edge of the segment 7 so that the upper edge constitutes a weir. Thus there is a steady flow of emulsion over the weir down the upper inclined recess 8 of the segment 11 and then through the space 13 to be lubricated by the size.

It will therefore be understood that size, in emulsion form, enters the container through the inlet pipe 15 and leaves through the outlet pipe 16 and there is a steady flow of size emulsion down the upper inclined surface 8 and through the space 13, in which the filaments are substantially totally immersed in size emulsion, so as to be uniformly coated with the emulsion.

Because of the high drawing speed of the filaments, of the order of 5,000 feet per minute to 12,000 feet per minute or more, a strong draught of air is carried down by the filaments. This draught must be deflected away from the flow of size on the upper inclined surface 8 otherwise it will interfere with or even stop the flow of size.

The duct formed by inclined surfaces 18, 19 and 20 provides a path for the air flow as shown in FIGURE 1. The movement of the filaments sets up an air flow in a generally vertical direction as indicated by the airflow lines I in FIGURE 1. This can be further assisted by a hood 21 at the outlet of the duct formed by surfaces 18, 19 and 20, the hood 21 being kept under suction by a fan or other well known means.

What is claimed is:

1. An applicator, by means of which size emulsion can be applied to moving glass filaments traveling therethrough at high lineal speed, comprising a container for size emulsion having at one end thereof inner and outer segments with inner and outer flat surfaces slightly spaced from each other to define a space through which said glass filaments can pass, a weir cooperating with the inner segment over which size emulsion can flow from said container into the space between the segments to coat glass filaments passing through the space, a first inclined surface leading from the weir to said inner surface, a second inclined surface extending downwardly and outwardly away from said inner surface, said first and second surfaces defining means for deflecting air entrained by said high speed filaments passing through the said space and for directing the air away from said space and means for maintaining a steady flow of the liquid into the space.

2. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein said container comprises first and second sections hinged together and shaped to abut against one another in alignment when the sections are in closed position, the first 3 section having a downwardly extending portion in which there is a recess into which the inner segment is fitted.

3. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the first inclined surface on the inner segment inclines towards the fiat surface of the inner segment which is bounded by a lower inclined surface which inclines away from the said flat surface.

4. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises first and second sections hinged together, the second section having a rectangular recess into which the outer segment is fitted and wherein the outer segment has an inclined lower surface and a short inclined upper lip leading to the second inclined surface which slopes towards a duct cut through the second section of the container through which deflected air flows.

5. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a downwardly inclined duct bounded on its lower side by a deflector formed by the second inclined surface and on its upper side by another deflector formed by an inclined surface into which said air deflecting means directs said air.

6. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein said outer segment has its fiat surface disposed between an inclined lower surface and an upper lip which leads to the second inclined surface.

7. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein the first inclined surface on the inner segment and an inclined lip on the outer segment incline downwardly toward one another and to the space between the flat surfaces whereby a funnel effect is produced at the entrance to the space within which a pool of size may collect.

8. An applicator, by means of which size emulsion can be applied to glass filaments, comprising a container for size emulsion having at one end thereof inner and outer segments slightly spaced from each other so that glass filaments can pass through the space between them, said outer segment having an inclined lower surface, a short inclined upper lip and a second inclined surface sloping towards a duct cut through a second section of the container, a weir in the inner segment over which size emulsion can flow into the space between the segments to coat glass filaments passing through the space and means for maintaining a steady flow of size emulsion over the weir, said container comprising a first and said second sections hinged together and shaped so that when closed the two sections abut against one another and are aligned and wherein the second section has a rectangular recess into which the outer segment is fitted.

9. An applicator according to claim 8 wherein the duct is bounded by downwardly inclined surfaces.

10. An applicator according to claim 8 wherein the outer segment has a flat surface between the inclined lower surface and the upper lip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,093,857 9/1937 Williamson et al. 118-420 X 2,373,078 4/1945 Kleist 118420 X 2,394,066 2/1946 Kauth 118-405 X WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner JOHN P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner 

